Hone Your Critical Thinking Skills by Presenting What-If Scenarios
Critical thinking requires you to rewire your brain to see the world in different ways. According to BBC Future, one way to do this is by presenting a series of “What If …” scenarios.
The idea here is basically a mental exercise to stretch the critical thinking muscles. BBC Future explains:
One way to develop these skills is to rethink key events. History students can write an essay on the topic “What would the world be like if Germany won World War II?” or “What would have happened if Britain had abolished the monarchy forever in the 17th century?” If history is none of your business, your starting point might be to write a story representing “The Day the President Left” or “The Day My Wife Disappeared.”
It may sound fantastic, but the point is that it forces you to consider various possibilities and formulate hypotheses. Young children help hone this “counterfactual thinking” when they play pretense, which helps them learn everything from the laws of physics to social skills. We don’t tend to consciously practice this as an adult, but you may find it helps expand your thinking as you grapple with the unexpected.
Whether you’re trying to make a decision, understand something that happened, or whatever, creating a serious “what if …” scenario might just help.
5 Step Guide to How Not to Be Stupid | Bbc future